XIIth Florence Biennale 2019

The Florence Biennale  is the major contemporary art exhibition in Florence (Italy), where it is regarded as an outstanding showcase of the international contemporary art production. Every two years the Florence Biennale enlivens the Medicean city with a programme of collateral events such as conferences, displays, performances, workshops and lectures. All this with a view to offer artists and their audience the opportunity to engage with art and culture, and know more about the theme of each edition of the biennial.

After the success of the XIth Florence Biennale 2017  (460 participating artists from over 70 countries) the XIIth edition of Florence Biennale will take place from October 18 to 27, 2019 at the Spadolini Pavilion, Fortezza da Basso (Florence).

The theme of the XIIth edition is ARS ET INGENIUM. Toward Leonardo da Vinci’s Legacy of Similitude and Invention .
 

In anticipation of the fifth centenary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death, the International Contemporary Art Biennial of Florence will reflect on the cognitive and creative approach of the great master of the Renaissance who is regarded as unsurpassed genius. In particular, the theme of the XIIth Florence Biennale will focus on Leonardo’s multifaceted being: an outstanding artist, he was also ‘scientist’ committed to exploring nature in order to grasp the knowledge spanning different disciplines of comparative anatomy, botany, geology, physics, and intertwining cosmology with his studies on light, and more besides.

Over the past editions of the Florence Biennale, the “Lorenzo il Magnifico” Lifetime Achievement Award  has been bestowed to distinguished artists such as  Marina Abramović, David Hockney, Christo & Jeanne-Claude, Gilbert & George, Marta Minujín, Anish Kapoor, and other. The XIIth edition makes no exception with its internationally acclaimed lifetime awardees.

Director Jacopo Celona and Curator Melanie Zefferino are delighted to announce their names of the “Lorenzo il Magnifico” Awardees for 2019 as they are outstanding masters whose creative endeavours stem from a cognitive and creative approach that can be related to the theme of the forthcoming edition, ‘ARS ET INGENIUM. Toward Leonardo da Vinci’s Legacy of Similitude and Invention’.

Franco Zeffirelli , Florence-born director, set and costume designer, and producer acclaimed worldwide, has been bestowed the “Lorenzo il Magnifico” Lifetime Achievement Award for Visual and Performing Arts. The Award for Sculpture goes to Mexican sculptor Gustavo Aceves , whilst Turkish-born young artist Refik Anadol  receives the Award for New Media Art.
American artist Anthony Howe , famous for his kinetic wind-driven sculptures, and Mice Jankulovski, painter and cultural actor from Macedonia, also enjoy recognition for their outstanding artistic achievements over a lifetime as they will be conferred the Special Award from the President of the Florence Biennale.

Of note, this year the Florence Biennale will unveil its first Design competition and exhibit  in a dedicated pavilion at the Fortezza da Basso. To be announced soon, therefore, are the winners of the “Leonardo da Vinci” Lifetime Achievement Award for Design.

Watch the promo video here

More info: www.florencebiennale.org or send an email to info@florencebiennale.org